Electric trolley hoist



Dec. 24, 1929.

c. H. RAsMussr-:N 1,741,074

ELECTRI C TROLLEY HQI ST Filed Aug. 21. 19526 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 24, 1929. c. H. RAsMussEN 1,741,074

ELECTRIC TROLLEY HoIsT Filed Aug. 21. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :J1/wanton 5mg. za.

Patented Dec. Z4, i929 UNETED STATES EPATENT GFFECE CHRISTIAN H. RASMUSSEN, OF CLEVELAND, GHIO, ASSGNOR- TO THE EUCLID ELECTRIC & MANFACTURNG- COMPANY, OF EUC/L1B, (2-E10, A CORORATION OF OHO ELECTRC TROLLEY HGST Application filed August 21, 1926.

My invention relates to electric trolley hoists, and in general my object is to provide convenient controlling means for a traveling carrier and hoist in which an electric motor and switch are used to raise and lower the load. As constructed and arranged, the wheeled carrier and the parts mounted thereon may bereadily shifted by hand from a convenient point beneath the carrier by means of a rigid handle, and the hoisting operation positively controlledby a rotatable hand grip arranged axially upon said handle at a point remote from the electric motor and switch on the carrier, all as hereinafter shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of a part of a traveling crane and an electric hoist thereon embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view, enlarged of the operating handle for the electric hoist. Fig. Sis aside view of the electric switch and a sectional view of the tubular handle for r shifting the carrier. Fig. t is a side view of a the lower end vof the operating handle, includ- Fig. 7 is a sectional view vertically through the switch and one of the button switches therein. Fig. 8 is an elevation of the hoisting device suspended from an beam forming part of the crane. Fig. 9 is a diagram of a double switch and an electrical circuit for controlling the hoist. Figs. 10, 11, and 12, represent a modification, Fig, 10 being a side view of a handle and an electric controller of the reversible drum type; Fig. 11 a diagram of the electric circuit for a drum controller; and F ig.- 12 a detail of the controller shaft and spring.

In certain types of electric trolley hoists in 5 general use a wheeled carrier 2 is supported and adapted to travel lengthwise upon an I beam 3. Following general crane and hoist practices, beam 3 is also usually supported or suspended for independentv movement or Vtravelat right angles to the direction of travel of carrier 2. Arigid handle f1- extends down- Seral No. 130,619.

wardly from wheeled carrier 2 to within the reacn of an ope 'ator upon the floor so that both the carrier and its supporting beam may be readily shifted in different directions by manual power. The hoisting mechanism 5 is mounted upon carrier 2, together with an electric motor 6 for operating said mechanism. This hoisting` mechanismmay be of any suitable kind, and the electric motor may be connected to the electric source of supply in any suitable way. Usually, the current for the motor is obtained from a trolley wire 7 extending parallel with beam 3, but such features of construction being old and well known to those skilled in the art, no detailed showing thereof has been made or appears necessary. lt might also be stated that ithas been a common practice to mount an electric reversing switch upon the carirer to control the electric motor and the hoisting operations, which switch was controlled by iiexible connect-ions suspended from the carrier at or near handle fl. rlhe present apparatus also embodies an electric switch mounted upon the carrier, but instead of using flexible controlling connect-ions for the switch I have devised a simpler and more facile means comprising a rotatable hand grip 8 which extends axially of and forms a continuation of handle el to permit the operator to shift the movable parts of the hoist and the load in different directions and at the same time to control the operation of the electric motor with one and the same hand. rlhus handle 4 is a tubular member which is clamped rigidly at its upper open end to one side or end of wheeled carrier 2 by means of a grooved seat or saddle member 9 and U-bolts 10. A cap 11 is screwed or otherwise attached to the lower end of handle il, and a short shaft 12 within the tubular handle has a reduced extension 14 which projects through cap 11. Hand grip 8 is sleeved upon and fixed to extension 14, and a finger 15 on hand grip 8 extends upwardly at the side of cap 1 1 between the two stop lugs 16-16 to limit the rotation in opposite directions of the hand grip. A relatively long rod or shaft 17 is connected to short shaft 12 and extends upwardly through tubular handle 4 parallel with one side or end face of carrier 2 where it is supported in an arm or bearing 18 forming part of or aflixed to one wall of a switch box 19. This box contains an electric switch of any suitabl-e kind or description which is electrically connected in the circuit for the electric motor, whereby the current may be turned on and off to drive the motor in either direction and to stop and start it at the will of the operator. Thus the electric switch may comprise two push members 20-21, respectively, adapt-ed to project through a vertical wall of the box at opposite sides of the rod or shaft 17 where it protrndes from the upper open end of handle 41;. A rocker member 22 having opposite-extending arms is affixed to said rod or shaft and springs 23 hold these push members against said arms and thereby hold shaft 17 and hand grip 8 in a neutral operating position. Each push member forms part of an electric switch, see Fig. 7 where a contact member 24 on the push member or button is shown opposite two contact blades or terminals 25-25 on an insulating bar 26 within box 19. .This double-acting or reversing switch is electrically connected within a suitable electrical circuit for the electric motor, and when hand grip 8 is ina neutral position the electric current is ofIn and the motor may be caused to rotate in either direction to raise or lower the load. That is, rotation of the hand grip in one direction from the neutral position suiiices to press one switch element inwardly to establish a circuit and rotate the v motor in one direction, and a reverse rotation from the neutral point will push the other switch element to establish another circuit and rotate the motor in the opposite direction. A return of the rocker arm to a neutral position is effected by the spring which has been compressed and this movement will open 'the switch and stop the motor. In this way convenient control of all hoisting operations is obtained by a single hand grip 8 while the carrier is either stationary or under motion. The operator is also enabled to control the hoisting operations in that way without difficulty from different sides of the depending handle and without strain at the wrist. The carrier may also be shifted on its track, or the Ycarrier and its track may be ointly shifted by manual power applied to the handle at hand grip 8 while the switch or switches are being operated irrespective of the exact station of the operator radially of the handle. These results iiow from the use of a single controlling member rotatable axially of the rigid handle, and while the device herein shown and described is a preferred form, I do not wish to limit myself specifically thereto but desire to include within the scope of the claims any modification or mechanical equivalent thereof to which I may be entitled in view ofsknown practices and the prior art. For example, in Figs. 10 to 12, I show a reversible drum type of electric controller 27 mounted upon the frame of wheeled carrier 2 above handle 4l, which controller may be used in lieu of the double push button switch hereinbefore described. In this case shaft 17 may be connected to shaft 28 for the controller drum by a coiled spring 29, the opposite ends of the springs being crossed and arranged to bear against opposite sides of two pins Z50-31, one pin being fixed to the rotatable connecting part 32, and the other pin being fixed to the stationary bottom of switch box 33. Vith this arrangement the controller drum may be rotated by shaft 17 in opposite directions from a neutral point against the tension of the spring, and the spring will then return the drum to the off or starting position whenever the operator rotates hand grip 8 accordingly. @ne working circuit 84C for the reversible switch or drum type of controller is shown in Fig. 11, and Fig. 9 shows a magnetic:l

switch circuit 35 controlled by a pair of push button switches 20-21 adapted to be operated alternatively by rocker member 22 on shaft 17. p

lVhat I claim, is: f

1. In an electric trolley hoist, including a wheeled carrier having motor operated hoisting mechanism, mounted thereon, an electric switch mounted on said carrier, a rigid tubular handle aiiixed at its upper end to said carrier adjacent said switch, a rotatable hand grip aiiixed to the lower end of said handle, and a shaft extending upwardly'from said hand grip through said tubular handle having an oscillatory device at its upper end adapted to operate said switch.Y

2. In a traveling crane, including a wheeled carrier .having electric hoisting mechanism thereon, an electric switch mounted on said carrier; and a handle depending from said carrier having a handle grip in oscillatory connection with said switch.

3. In a traveling crane, having a wheeled carrier, an electric motor and hoisting mechanism mounted upon said carrier, an electric switch secured to said carrier having a pair of operating elements, a tubular handle extending downwardly froinsaid carrier, a hand grip having a shaft extending axially through said handle and adapted to be oscillated in respect to said switch, means to automatically shift said hand grip in neutral position in respect to said switch and a rocker member on said shaft adapted to actuate said switch operating elements alternatively.

4. In an electric trolley hoist including hoisting mechanism, a motor, and a depending hollow and rigidhandle, a switch mounted on said hoist, anda rotatable operating member for said switch extending downwardly from said switch through said handle and axially rotatable therein.

5. In an electric trolley hoist including hoist mechanism, a motor and a depending moving member, a switch mounted on said hoist, a rotatable hand grip at the lower end of said moving member, and an operating Connection between said rotatable hand grip and said switch.

6. In an electric trolley hoist including hoist mechanism, a motor and a depending hollow moving member, a switch mounted on said hoist opposite said moving member and a rotatable operating member for said switch extending downwardly from said switch LX- ially through said moving member.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

CHRISTIAN H. RASMUSSEN. 

